Saturday, February 13, 2010

be kind to your face

not too long ago, while enjoying a facial, my favourite semi-regular indulgence, my skoah "personal skin care trainer" informed me that some of my make-up was clogging my pores. gasp! what could be the culprit? she told me that i was likely using a product that contains talc, and that's what was doing the damage.

back home, i found the main offender: l'oreal paris bare naturale. i got it free from work, and it provided lasting coverage without looking like i was wearing anything. too bad it supplemented the "good" minerals with talc, a "bad" mineral filler found in many cosmetics. i also had to toss/give away my paul & joe compact foundation and my du-wop revolotion face. it was a sad, sad day for my make-up drawer. but i was able to give away some of the offenders to friends.

here are a few tips on mineral make-up...

how do i know if my make-up contains talc?

like me, you're not completely remedial - it's not that easy. most of today's pretty packaging doesn't include ingredients, and who keeps the box? try going online and searching the non-active ingredients. if you can't find it there, call the 1-800 number or your local cosmetics counter.note: talc is also called magnesium silicate.

should i believe the mineral infomercial hype?

i try not to base my buying decisions on late-night programs hosted by leeza gibbons, but that's why there's a money-back guarantee, right? according to the calgary herald, what makes mineral foundation so different from the foundation most women wear is what's not in it - no pore-clogging talc or oils, no parabens, no FD & C dye and no alcohol. the minerals included are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide - anti-inflammatories and natural sunscreens - and iron oxide.

cake: better in my mouth than on my face

mineral foundation often looks cakey. don't put on too much - use a full brush. if you need to, spritz on a light mist of evian spray or alcohol-free toner to eliminate the cake after application or pat a tissue all over your face.

try before you buy

remember 14-year-old orange face girl with the line along her chin? whenever she hugged the boys, their shirts changed colour. wow, memories. every high school had one. don't be her. never buy base make-up without wearing it for the day. that way you can check out the colour match in various lights AND see if it agrees with your skin. just walk away ... it'll still be at the store tomorrow. also, there's no shame in crossing the street to the other department store to see if they agree on the shade the last salesperson put on you.

my personal motto: keep it clean, y'all

don't forget to wash your brushes once a month. you can either buy a proper liquid cleaner or use a gentle shampoo from home.